Excerpt from More Declarer Play the Bergen Way

By Marty Bergen

Marty will have a new book out this October, a sequel to his 2005 ABTA Book of the Year, More Declarer Play the Bergen Way.

Highlights include:

• How to give yourself an extra chance to make the hand
• When to draw only some of the opponents' trumps
• How to win extra tricks with nines and tens
• What you need to know about suit combinations
• How to keep the dangerous opponent from ever getting in
• When you must count winners in a suit contract
• How to create entries when they are most needed
• The right time to throw a "loser on a loser"

Ordering information will be provided below.

Here's a taste of what you'll find in the new book:

Not Enough Entries

Contract: 6NT Lead ªJ

After a difficult auction, you stumble into 6NT. Obviously you'll have to assume clubs are 3-2. You plan to discard your ¨2 on dummy's ªK, but because you are in 6NT rather than 6§ you have an entry problem. Do you see it?

If you make the "normal play at trick 2 of a club to the §K -- you can no longer make the hand!

If you then cash the ªK and play clubs, E-W will run spades.

Of courese, if you don't cash the ªK, unless E-W are eager to help by leading spades, you'll never get back to dummy to cash the spade and will eventually concede the ¨2 for the setting trick.

What's the answer? You must lose your loser early. At trick 2 lead your §3 and play the §2 from the board. Now you are totally in control.

To order the book, call 1 800-386-7432 (major credit cards welcome) or write Marty at 9 River Chase Terrace, Palm Beach Gardens FL 33418 with a check or money order in U.S. funds. There are special deals available with multiple orders. Check the Bridge Forum website for more details.